Switch mechanism



Sept. 17, 1940. w. J. LEWIS SWITCH MECHANISM Filed Sept. 26, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 w N WW Sept. 17, 1940. w J LEw|$ 2,214,836

SWITCH MECHANISM Filed Sept. 26, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 17, 1940. w. J. LEWIS SWITCH MECHANISM 3 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed sefn. 26, 1938 E tEE Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH MECHANISM nois Application September 26, 1938, Serial No. 231,642

12 Claims. (01. 19138) The present invention relates to an automatically operated selective trolley switch of a type particularly applicable for use with trolley wire systems in which a plurality of wires are employed, such as a positive and a negative or grounded wire.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an automatic switch which will direct the current-collecting members attached to the trolley poles of a trolley bus or other vehicle-so that the trolley poles and the thereto attached current-collecting members will automatically, and without any attention on the part of the operator of the vehicle, follow the vehicle along a main line or onto a branch line at an angle there- Another object of the invention is the provision of an automatic trolley switch through which the current-collecting member may be backed regardless of the position of the switch tongue and in which it is not necessary to provide a positive locking mechanism after the switch has been positioned.

A further object of the invention is to provide automatic switching means for predetermining the position that is to be assumed by switching tongues contained in a pair of automatic switches, intended to direct the current-collecting members attached to the vehicle by means of trolley poles in the desired direction.

Other objects will appear from the following description of the drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the electrically operated automatic switch of the present invention with the cover removed.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the switch shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the switch wherein the grooves, ridges, and switch tongue are indicated.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken along line 4-4' of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken along line 5 5' of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view partially in section similar to Fig. 2 but wherein the switch is thrown in the opposite direction.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the switching system wherein is illustrated the electrical circuits which may be employed.

These figures will hereinafter be discussed in detail in connection with the description of the.

erated by the current, the return circuit being through the opposite wire.

This, therefore, differs from the ordinary trolley car system in which the rails, properly bonded, are depended upon for completing the'circuit. In trolley car systems only a single conducting wire is necessary, this usually being arranged directly over the center of the railway. In trolley car systems it has also been customary to employ as a current-collecting member a trolley wheel or shoe supported on a rigid harp which is attached to the free end of a trolley pole, which latter is attached to the top of a car in the wellknown manner. Such fixed harps could be employed on trolley cars as the latter run over a definite route determined by the tracks. On the other hand, a trolley bus follows no fixed path, but may be guided where desired by the operator within a certain distance to each side of the trolley wires. 7

'It therefore was found necessary in this art in the case of trolley busses to employ current collectors which contact the under side of the wire and which are carried by harps that are freely connected in swivel fashion to the trolley poles themselves. These pole salso are preferably much longer than is the case with ordinary trolley cars that run on rails, being generally about 18 feet in length. They are attached to the top of the trolley bus at points which are usually about two feet apart as the wires also are usually two feet apart. I

Thus, trolley busses may be constructed with a base on the top thereof on which two trolley poles are mounted to swing about two fixed transversely aligned points which are usually about two feet apart. With this arrangement the trolley poles may be swung about their fixed points and the shoes will stay in contact with and slide along their respective wires even when the bus is off to one side of the wires. Hence, when the bus is moving parallel to the wires, the poles will remain parallel, being the same distance apart at their bases as at their points of contact with the wires. If the bus, however, is at an angle to the wires-that is to say, if it is moving toward or away from the vertical planes in which the wires lieit will readily be understood that the outside pole relative to the curve which the Vehicle is describing will be in advance of the other along a line that is at right angles to the wires themselves.

Until recently, trolley bus systems with switches therein have been employed which, when a trolley bus was passing thereunder, required a certain amount of attention and action on the part of the bus driver, particularly when passing through switches. In one type of such switches the movable switching member is electrically thrown in accordance with whether or not the operator of the bus has the motor of the vehicle either on or off as he passes a certain point, depending upon whether he wishes to turn or go straight ahead. In accordance with my present invention, however, it is not necessary for the driver of the vehicle in any way to pay attention to the overhead fittings, but he may direct his entire attention to the steering of the bus through trafiic and, if he makes a turn in the same manner as other non-electrically driven vehicles may be turning, he can be assured that the current collectors will be switched to the branch line and will hence properly train the vehicle so as to keep its power supply unimpaired. It will readily be appreciated that this presents a very great advantage.

In the prior art in which poles having rigid harps were employed, automatic switches were known in which the side pressure of the rim of the Wheel would actuate the switches so that in making a turn the pole would take the branch line in preference to the straight-way current conductor. In the case of swivel harps, such as are necessary in trolley bus operation, it would be obvious that the side pull upon the current collectors could not be depended upon to throw switches because this side pull is applied every time the vehicle-passes to the right or left of the currentconducting wires, as it must do when weaving its way through traffic, and particularly when running to the edge of the sidewalk to pick up or discharge passengers. The problem in connection with trolley busses, therefore, is totally different from the problems which confront operators of vehicles which run on rails.

In such of the prior art switching means in which the position of the switch was determined by the driver, he naturally had to be very careful as to whether the power was on or off when approaching a turnout or curve, or at any other point where he desired to change the position of the switch in accordance with the way he wanted to go. In heavy city traffic where pedestrians are continually crossing in front of vehicles at intersections, anything which will divert the drivers attention from his job of preventing collisions is highly dangerous not onlyto himself and his vehicle but also to those who are crossing the street. It will therefore be obvious that any invention that will automatically take care of the switching of the current-collecting members of a trolley bus greatly contributes to the safety of operation of such vehicles.

In connection with the present disclosure reference should also be had to applicants copending applications, Serial No. 733,708, filed July 5, 1934, and Serial No. 110,669, filed November 13, 1936, each of which is entitled Overhead trolley systern.

The principle upon which the present invention is based is equally applicable to a mechanically, pneumatically, or an electrically operated device. In each case advantage is taken of the fact that the position of the current collectors at the end of the trolley poles of a trolley bus, when it is proceeding in a direction substantially parallel to the suspended current-conducting wires, is such that the two current collectors are substantially opposite each other along a line drawn at right angles to the wires, this being true even though the bus is at a considerable distance to one side of the wires. However, when the bus assumes a position which is not parallel to the conducting wires as, for example, when turning a corner, one of the current collectors will be in advance of the other and their relative longitudinal position will be altered. As the bus turns, the pole which is on theifar side of the turnfor example, the left-hand side of the bus when the bus is describing a right-hand turnwill immediately assume a position which (relative to a line drawn at right angles across the wires) will be in advance of the other pole. Therefore, it will be possible, by suitable devices about to be described, to secure a differential effect which is brought about by contact of the current-collecting members with various instrumentalities mounted on or adjacent the wires, these instrumentalities being operated in one sense when they are contacted substantially simultaneously on both of the wires and operated in a diiferent sense when the. contact takes place successively on one wire relative to the other.

The switch as constructed according to one embodiment of this invention comprises a base plate with trolley runners preferably integral therewith on the under side. The runners branch in the main portion of the base and the switch may be thrown by .a tongue extending substantially vertically through the base portion of the plate, whereby the current collectors are directed along one branch or the other. In the embodiment shown, the tongue, when raised, causes the switch to direct the shoe of the current collector straight ahead on the main line. On the other hand, when the tongue is extended downwardly through the base portion, it is so positioned that the shoe of the current collector follows the branch line directed by the switch.

The runners are so arranged and grooved that the shoes of the current collectors may be backed over the switch without danger of coming off regardless of which position the switch is in. No positive locking means for the switch is necessary. The operating mechanism for the switch tongue is so constructed that, when the current collectors of the trolley bus which are mounted on a swivel harp pass over the switch, the pressure exerted against the tongue by the shoe is in a direction of substantially degrees of the movement of the. tongue. Consequently, when the switch is thrown in one direction by the mechanism to be hereinafter described, it is not necessary that the switch be locked in position in i branch line, regardless of what direction the switch has been thrown. A direct pressure will push the tongue back up into the base. The tongue extending through the base portion of the switch, if in the extended position, is also arranged so that it may be pushed up into the base portion of the switch whenever a current collector, such as a trolley wheel carried by a fixed harp, exerts direct pressure thereon. Thus, a trolley wheel on a fixed harp may be directed over the switch of the invention in substantially the same manner as the well known open-pan switches. If the trolley wheel passes over the switch when the tongue is extended, it will push the tongue into the base unless it passes along that runner to which the switch is directed. In the latter case the tongue may remain extended after the trolley wheel passes over it.

Brief reference will first be had to Fig. '7, wherein two switches I0, and, Iilf are shown mounted'on asuitable double trolleyline, H and II having branch lines l2 and I2. Suitable electrical contacts I3, I4, and I5 are shown in connection with the assembly, which will be hereinafter more fully described. As the switches of a pair may be identical, the description will be confined to only a single switch.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, there is shown one specific embodiment of this invention.

In all of the drawings the cover plate has been shown removed from this construction. It will be readily recognized, however,that it is desirable to place a suitable hood over the switching mechanism in order to protect it from the weather. The switch comprises a base portion it, upon the under side of which are located runners I'I, I8, and I9 for engaging the shoes of the current collectors of the bus. The runners are preferably integral with the base portion and have grooves on either side which may be used to engage the flange edges of the shoe (not shown) when the shoe rides upon the switch. The runners I'I, I8, and I3 are of less height at the actual switching portion of the base than at the extremities of the base portion. Consequently, the shoe, instead of riding on the ridge of the runner in the manner which it does on the wire I i, engages the base portion of the switch by means of the flanges of the shoe and, consequently, the grooves 20 guide the shoe as it passes over the switching portions of the base plate. 1

The Wires may be attached to the base plate through the slots 2! by any suitable means, such as a clamp or other device (not shown) secured by bolts 22 through holes 23. The base plate I6 also contains suitable ears 24 in which holes 25 are positioned, whereby the switch is suspended by suitable guy lines in any desired position.

Within the base portion I6 adjacent the juncture of the runners I'I, I8, and I9, a longitudinal slot 21 is provided through which a tongue 26 may be inserted. The tongue 26 is an extension of a bell crank 28 which is mounted on a pair of upwardly extending portions 29 and pivotally mounted thereon by means of a shaft 30 secured by cotter keys 3|. The tongue 26 is thus capable of Vertical displacement by means of rocking the bellcrank 28. When the tongue 26 is depressed as is shown in Fig. 2, a continuous ridge is formed in the base portion I6 which connects the ridges of the runners [l and I9. Consequently, when the shoe of the current collector passes over the wire I I onto the switch at II, it is directed to the branch line by means of the runner I9. The tongue portion 26 also has a groove 32 which extends on a line with the grooves 29 adjacent to one side of the runners I1 and I8. The tongue groove 32 is of such a depth that, when the tongue portion is pulled up intothe position shown in Fig. 6 into the base, there is a continuous groove formed on the main line over which the shoe of the current collector passes when proceeding straight through the switch.

In order that the tongue may be raised and lowered, two solenoids 33 and 34 are provided. The solenoids are preferably mounted on brackets 35 and 36 by means of suitable screws v3'I. The brackets 35 and 36 may, in turn, be mounted to the base portion I6 by means of bolts 38. The solenoids 33 and 34 activate the armatures 39 and 40, respectively, which are connected together by means of a suitable bar 4 I, said bar being mounted on the armatures by a pivotal arrangement comprising shafts 42 and cotter keys 43. The upwardly extending portion 44 of the bell crank 28 which is preferably integral with tongue 26 is also pivotally connected to the bar 4| intermediate the armatures 39 and by means of a shaft 45 secured by a cotter key 46. In addition, each of the armatures 39 and 40 is pivotally mounted on brackets 41 and 48, which are, in turn, secured to the brackets 35 and 36 by mean of suitable screws 31.

It will thus be observed that, if the solenoid 34'is activated, armature 40 will be pulled to the right, operating the bell crank 28, whereby the tongue 26 is pulled up into the base portion l6 of the trolley switch of this invention as indicated in Fig. 6. on the other hand, if solenoid 33 is activated, the bell crank 28 will be caused to move in the opposite direction and the tongue 26 will extend into the base portion, as shown in Fig. 2. The tongue 26 is connected at its extreme end to a suitable toggle joint, which comprises a short shank 49 pivotally mounted both at the end of the tongue 26 by means of a shaft 50 and a cotter key 5| and in the base portion of bracket 35. A spring 52 is inserted around the shank 49 and between the bracket 35 and the extended end portion of the tongue 26. This toggle joint serves tohold the tongue 26 in place after the current has been discontinued through either of the solenoids 33 and 34. The toggle joint is so arranged that the tongue will be held in either the up or down position by action of the com' pressed spring 52. I

The brackets 35 and 36 may be secured to the base portion I6 by means of bolts 38 which extend through slots 53 within the brackets. The solenoids consequently may be adjusted to any desired position in order to regulate the extent of movement of the tongue 26 when the solenoids are activated.-

The base portion I6 also has downwardly extending flanges 54 and 55 on its outside edges adjacent to the portion of the switch in which the tongue 26 is located. These projections serve to insure that the shoe does not come off the runner when passing either forward or backward over the switching mechanism.

The operation of the device can best be understood by study of Fig. 7, which is purely diagrammatic and extremely simplified so that the course of the current can be more accurately understood. The contact switches I3, I4, and I5 may be of any type that is well known in the art, an example being one that is described in copending application Serial No. 110,669, filed November 13, 1936, and entitled Overhead trolley system. It will be understood, however, that any type of contact switch may be employed.

Assuming, for the moment, that the bus is proceeding in the direction shown by the arrow, namely, from left to right, and that it is proceeding in a straight direction and is not trying to make a turn, under those circumstances it will be self-evident that the contact shoes which are sliding along underneath the wires II and II' will be substantially transversely aligned and will make contact first with the contact switches I3 and I5. If the current collectors are thus aligned, then, by reason of the connections shown in Fig. '7, the travel of the current from the positive to the negative side will be as follows: From wire II through the contact shoe of the trolley bus, not shown, to the contact member I3, then along the wire 56 through the coil of the solenoid 34,

through wire 51, through solenoid 34, through wire 58, through fuse 59, through wire 60, through contact switch I5, through contact shoe, not shown, to the negative or grounded trolley wire H. The solenoids 34 and 34' consequently become activated and, as has been previously indicated, the tongue 26 will be raised into the base portion l6 of the switch. After the contact shoes of the current collectors have passed over the contact switches l3 and i5, the tongue 26 will be held in position by means of the toggle joint located on the end of the tongue which has been previously described. As has been indicated, the switches are thereby set in a straight ahead position and the current collectors pass straight through the switch along wires II and H in the direction taken by the bus.

If, however, the bus has to make a right hand turn, for example, then, by reason of the turning movement of the vehicle, the current collector on the lefthand side of the vehicle and hence on the outside curve which is sliding along the positive wire M will be in advance of the other current collector on the opposite pole which is sliding along the negative wire I l. Thus, even though the switch might have been actuated in the manner just described in the preceding paragraph, the two current-collecting members on the respective trolley poles will then be in contact with contact switches l4 and I5 instead of with switches l3 and I5. The circuit, therefore. will be changed and the solenoids 33 and 33 will become activated in the same manner as were the solenoids 34 and 34' in the previous instance. The activation of the solenoidsflt and 33 will cause the tongue 26 to be snapped into a downward posi tion so that a substantially continuous ridge is formed between the runners ll and it and, conquently, the current collectors will follow the branch line of the switches which emerges on wires l2 and E2 of the branch line. The toggle joint attached to the end of tongue 25 assists to maintain the tongue in the downward position, as

shown in Fig. 2, and the shoes of the current collector being mounted on a swivel harp of the trolley bus will not have a tendency to push the tongue up, since the pressure of the shoes is exerted mainly within the grooves 253 as has been previously described.

The tongue may be moved, however, into the base portion It of the switch if a pressure is exerted on it directly in the line or" its movement. Consequently, if the tongue 26 were in an extended position wherein the switch was set for the branch line and a current collector were backed up on the runner !8 from the main line onto the switch, direct pressure would be brought to bear upwardly on the tongue 26 by the extended edges of the U-shaped shoe and the tongue 26 would be forced into the base portion so that the current collector might pass back onto runner ill. Flanges 54 and 55 protect the runner from being thrown off the trolley at this juncture. Also, if a current collector mounted on a fixed harp and carried by an ordinary street car is run over the switch, the tongue may be forced up into the base by the pressure of the current collector and the latter will proceed on either runner l8 or iii, depending on the lateral thrust which is predetermined by the fixed line of travel of the trolley car. If the tongue is in extended position and the trolley wheel of the street car passes over the switch onto the branch runner E9, the tongue may not be pushed back into the base portion,

It is believed that the correct operation of the device will be fullyunderstood from theabove description. It merely remains to mention that the switches and supporting mechanisms for the two wires may be kept at the proper distance apart by means of suitable insulators and suspended by means of the usual guys and pull-offs. It will be seen from the description that the present invention automatically provides for the proper switching of the current collecting members at the ends of the trolley poles without any attention on the part of the operator and merely under the natural influence of the position assumed by the trolley poles due to the changed position of the vehicle itself.

While a particular embodiment of this invention is shown above, it will be understood,'of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplated, therefore, to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A trolley switch comprising a base portion,

a main runner and a pair of branch runners depending from said portion, asingle substantially vertically movable switching member positioned adjacent the inner ends of said runners and movable to a plurality of positions, fixed means for normally guiding a current collector between said main and one of said branch runners, said thereover and between said main and said first branch runner, and means for moving said switching member to said positions.

2. A trolley switch comprising a base portion, a main runner and a pair of branch runnersdepending from said portion, a substantially vertically movable switching member having one end adjacent said main runner and the other end substantially between said branch runners andmovable to a plurality of positions, fiXed means formed in said base portion for normally guiding a current collector between said main and one of said branch runners, said switching member, when in one position, substantially connecting said main and said second branch runner to positively guide a current collector therebetween, and when in another position permitting said current collector to pass thereover and between said main and said first branch runner, and means for moving said switching member to saidpositions.

3. A trolley switch comprising a base portion, a main runner and a pair of branch runners depending from said portion and a single substantially vertically movable switching member positioned in a slot adjacent the inner ends: of said runners and movable to upper and lower positions, a groove for engaging the upper portion of a current collector formed in said base portion and extending along the outer side of said main runner and one of said branch runners fornormally guiding a current collector therealong, said switching member being so shaped that when in lower position it substantially connects said main switching member and between said main and said first branch runner, and means supportedby said base portion for moving said switchingmemher to said positions.

4. A trolley switch comprising a base portion, a main runner and a pair of branch runners depending from said base portion, a longitudinally extending switching member adjacent the inner ends of said runners and being substantially vertically movable to upper and lower positions, said member being so shaped that when in lower position it substantially connects said main and one of said branch runners and serves to guide a current collector therebetween, and when in raised position permits a current collector to pass thereover and between said main and said other branch runner, the portion of the surface of said switching member contacted by the current collector sloping upwardly at the end adjacent said branch runners, and means for moving said switching member to said positions.

5. A trolley switch comprising a base portion, a main runner and a pair of branch runners depending from said base portion, a longitudinally extending switching member adjacent the inner ends of said runners, said member being substantially vertically movable to upper and lower positions and having a depending fiange adjacent each end at opposite sides thereof to guide a current collector between said main and one of said branch runners, and having a passageway to permit a current collector to pass thereover while being guided thereby in passing between said main and said other branch runner, and means for moving said switching member to said positions.

6. A trolley switch comprising a base portion, a main runner having a gap therein and a branch runner terminating at its inner end adjacent said gap, a movable switching member positioned in an opening in said base portion adjacent said gap and being movable to upper and lower positions, a groove formed in said base portion adjacent the outer side of said main runner for engaging a current collector and normally directing the same along said main runner, said switching member, when in lower position, substantially connecting said main and said branch runner to guide a current collector therebetween, and when in upper position, permitting a current collector to pass along said main runner, and means for moving said switching member to said positions.

7. A trolley switch comprising a base portion, a main runner having a gap therein and a branch runner terminating at its inner end adjacent said gap, a movable switching member positioned in an opening in said base portion adjacent said gap and being movable to upper and lower positions, means for normally directing a current collector along said main runner, said switching member, when in lower position, substantially connecting said main and said branch runners to guide a current collector therebetween, and when in upper position, permitting a current collector to pass along said main runner, said switching member having a depending flange at one end on the side adjacent said branch runner for guiding a current collector across saidgap in said main runner when in upper position.

8. A trolley switch comprising a main runner and a pair of branch runners, a single substantially vertically movable switching member positioned adjacent the inner ends of said runners and movable to a plurality of positions, fixed means for normally guiding a current collector between said main and one of said branch runners, said switching member, when in one position, substantially connecting said main and said other branch runner to guide a current collector therebetween, and when in another position, permitting a current collector to pass thereover and between said main and said first branch runner, means for moving said switching member to one position comprising a solenoid and an armature actuated by said solenoid operatively connected to said switching member, and means for moving said switching member to said other position.

9. A trolley switch comprising a main runner and a pair of branch runners, a single substan tially vertically movable switching member positioned adjacent the inner ends of said runners and movable to a plurality of positions, fixed means for normally guiding a current collector between said main and one of said branch runners, said switching member, when in one position, substantially connecting said main and said other branch runner to guide a current collector therebetween, and when in another position, permitting a current collector to pass thereover and between said main and said first branch runner, means for moving said switching member to said positions comprising armature means operatively connected to said switching member and a pair of solenoids for actuating said armature means.

10. A trolley switch comprising a base portion, a main runner and a pair of branch runners depending therefrom, a single substantially vertically movable switching member positioned in an opening in said base adjacentthe inner ends of said runners and movable to upper and lower positions, fixed means for normally guiding a current collector between said main and one of said branch runners, said switching member, when in one position, substantially connecting said main and said other branch runner to guide a current collector therebetween, and when in another position, permitting a current collector to pass thereover and between said main and said first branch runner, and means for moving said switching member to said positions, comprising a bell crank lever having one arm connected to said switching member, and armature means connected to the other arm of said lever, and a pair of solenoids for actuating said armature means.

11. A trolley switch comprising a main runner and a pair of branch runners, fixed means normally tending to guide a current collector between said main and one of said branch runners, a vertically movable switching member movable to a plurality of positions, said switching member when in one position overcoming the effect of said fixed means and guiding said current collector between said main and said other branch runner, and when in another position, being ineffective to overcome the guiding effect of said fixed means, and means for moving said switching member to said positions.

12. A trolley switch comprising a main runner and a pair of branch runners, a single substantially vertically movable switching member positioned adjacent the inner ends of said runners and movable to a plurality of positions, fixed means normally tending to guide a current collector between said main and one of said branch runners, said switching member, when in one position, acting to positively guide a current collector between said main and said other branch runner, and when in another position, permitting said fixed means to guide said current collector between said main and said first branch runner, and means for moving said switching member to said positions.

WARREN J. LEWIS. 

